Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

[Franki]

Hi people..<br /><br />I have been cleaning and fixing everything I can find that is wrong with my old V4 72 100HP johnson..<br /><br />The tilt/trim rams have come up for some attention from me, I want to pull them out and get them rebuilt, (hey I know a guy who does it for a living and offered to do it for free.. so why not?)<br /><br />Short story is that I can't get them off..<br /><br />the bottom shaft that runs through both and into the transom mount is rusted solid, so I cut it.... and I will drill out whats left..<br /><br />but up the top is a weird setup.. up there its all stainless steel, but the two bolts that hold the top of the rams in place are stuck also, (I got the nuts off, but the shafts are pretty tight..) they have weird blind heads, very shallow heads with only two flat edges.)<br /><br />Is there a trick to getting them out?<br /><br />One last thing, the manual trim shaft, that you pull out and change holes to adjust the lowest point your outboard can trim down is stuck also.. and pretty rusted, I can do the cut and drill, but if someone has a better idea I'm all ears... (I have it soaking in penitrating oil right now,, hoping that can loosen it enough to get out..)<br /><br />anyone know anything that I might find useful in this task?<br /><br />kindest regards<br /><br />Frank

 

[alcan]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

Hi Franki<br /> Try gently heating the area around the holes with a propane torch. Get a hold on the shaft with vice grips and try to wiggle a little. Be patient,remember you can cut any time.

 

[Franki]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

yeah, I tried that, my torch isn't that hot though, its very small..<br /><br />and I had a large spanner over the end of the thing, and use using that to try and try and turn the thing..<br /><br />I estimate that I was putting 150 - 200 pounds of force on this easy.. (I was nearly using my whole weight..) it didn't budge..<br /><br />so I am going to soak it for a while, and try again, if that failes, then its time to cut my loses and cut and drill it out.<br /><br />rgds<br /><br />Frank

 

[alcan]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

OK, here's another idea. Try using oil of wintergreen as a penetrate. You get it at the drug store. This stuff hates rust. Apply it with an eye dropper.Let it soak over night. You might have to reapply. Use caution as it's flamable. It will make your shop smell good for a while. I get a little sick of it after a while. So try to use as little as possable. I learned of this while restoring old motor cycles. It loosens old rusty spokes right up.

 

[Franki]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

Ok, thankyou, I'll try that one out..<br /><br />I don't know how well I'll go trying to get this stuff at a drugstore in australia, but I'll give it a go...<br /><br />Thanks again..<br /><br /><br />rgds<br /><br />Frank

 

[alcan]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

In the U.S. we call the pharmacy the drug store.

 

[Franki]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

Thanks, <br /><br />Yeah, I know, thanks.<br /><br />I meant that I don't think our pharmacy's will sell it, but I plan to try anyway.<br />I am surprised that a very thin acidic liquid is not sold for this purpose. rust and corrosion is bound to disolve faster then good metal... (accept I suppose for the immediate surface of aluminium.)<br /><br />still, it would help immensely in situations like this if you could disolve the rust.<br /><br /><br />rgds<br /><br />Frank

 

[almost retired again]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

Hello Franki,<br />If you want a mild acid, try muriatic acid, again I would use an eye dropper to apply it. Plumbers use it all the time. This stuff loves rust.<br />Hope this helps

 

[Franki]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

So I should be able to get this muriatic acid from a plumbing supply place?<br /><br />will it damage aluminium???? I suspect there is not alot of aluminium in plumbers piping... just thought I'd ask..<br /><br />I have asked at two chemists, and neither had Wintergreen.. but I'll keep looking for one or the other..<br /><br />rgds<br /><br />Frank

 

[petryshyn]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

Careful with the muriatic acid. It stains zinc badly. It might also attack the stainless rams and look like sh1t!

 

[Hank 911]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

Bump

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

hello<br /> wow now the fun starts. careful with that muratic acid. it dissolves alumiium and can wick through the pores in the castings and rot more than intended.<br />heat it with oxy/acetylene. as long as you dont melt the casting its really not going to damage it. on the tilt stop pin at the bottom. I never drill them. I cut both side with a cut off wheel on my grinder then blow the remains out with my trusty oxy/actylene . wow us saltwater techs love smoke.always make sure no gasoline is presant and have a trusted buddy stand fire watch while holding a fire extinguisher. man its hard to tell when something is burning when all your eyes see are torch flames.<br /> just remember common sense but your heating a heat sink. the oil of wintergreen will work some on rust. we used it all the time in the navy. its an essential oil so there is no real narcotic or other legal restrictions on it here.<br />doesnt do much for aluminium oxide though. about all I have found that cuts the white corrosion is straight bleach whichs eats rubber seals and blue flame.<br /> good luck and keep posting

 

[ledgefinder]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

Use a better torch. Aluminum expands much more per degree temp change, so the differential expansion will often break the parts free. Heat/cool a few cycles for the tough cases.<br /><br />That said, I've had no luck with those upper shock mount bolts on the early V4s myself. Betcha it'd be easier to swap in a clean, fresh-water midsection.

 

[jim dozier]

Re: Many Stuck bolts and shafts.

Careful with the Muriatic acid. It is available at hardware stores (like Home Depot in the USA). It is just hydrochloric acid. It is used to clean pool and concrete decks. Problem is, of the 4 compounds you will encounter in your stuck bolt: stainless steel, aluminum oxide, aluminum carbonate, and aluminum metal, the most affected is the aluminum metal. It will tend to eat the parts you want to keep. Be careful when using it around mating surfaces too.